Talking of
Palang Saag/Palak/ Spinach, this is another combination of a Plang Saag dish. Friends
are always eager to know about a simple dish that can be cooked in different
ways with different combinations. Here it is.
Mothers and
grandmothers, aunts and elderly sisters and relatives spent a lot of time in
the kitchen They had helping hands but when a small group of minds and brains
came together, they made delicious dishes from very simple and common veggies.
That was the time of joint-families, but now small little families with a dear
mother doing the rounds in the kitchen, and working herself out to serve an
interesting dish.
There are traditional
dishes and some are fusion dishes of today. No harm in being innovative. That’s
where the modern woman stands bringing out so many new innovations to be served
on the dining table. The lady can take pride in it but in some corner of her
heart and mind she retreats back to the traditional dishes. Each and every
state in this country has something special in their menu list. I think this
dish…Palang Saag Bodi Diye…has been cooked in our kitchen for years.
I don’t
know if I have made any little change in it, but not so much involved in the
kitchen those days, I remember the taste and the texture and thus have tried
this dish in my kitchen for years now. This one tastes simply good, a smack of
the lips and can say very good. So I will not move from GOOD to BETTER to
BEST, but say it is Good and Tasty.
If you ask
me where I stand now, Phut I'll reply, “I’m into writing this recipe”.
If you want
to try or just like to read this go on:
Vegetables:
Palang saag/Palak: 1 Bunch (A big bunch)
Potato: 1 big, peeled and diced into small pieces
Pumpkin: About 200 gms
Green chillies: 2-3 slit in the middle
Tomato: 1 chopped
Special Attraction:
Bodi/Vadis/ Sun-dried Small Savoury Lentil
Balls: 7-8 pieces, (my home-made bodi/vadi).
Tempering and Powdered ingredients:
Panch phoron: 1 ½ tsp.
Haldi powder: ½ tsp.
Red chilli powder: ½ or ¼ tsp. (your taste
buds condition)
Salt: To taste
Sugar: 1 tsp. (optional)
Time
to assemble all the ingredients and start Cooking:
As cooking
is the main share, it will take all the time…about 30 to 45 minutes. So don’t
worry.
Chop the
palang saag/ palak into 1 ½ inch size.
The potato
and the pumpkin peeled and diced.
Heat about
2 tbsp of oil in a kadhai.
Fry the
Bodis/vadis till it is dark brown on slow heat. Take them out and keep it
aside.
In the same
oil add the panch phoron.
Next tip in
the green chillies.
The
splutter and the noise can be heard along with the aroma of the panch phoron
spreading.
Next add
the saag and the vegetables and mix well for 3-4 minutes.
Time to add
the haldi and red chilli powder, salt and sugar and cover the kadhai and simmer
the flame.
The greens
will release water and let all the vegetables cook in it. The flame should be
low and needs 10-15 minutes for the potatoes and the pumpkin to become soft and
at the same time the water must have dried up with very little remaining.
Once the
veggies are cooked, add the fried bodis/vadis and cover again for 3-4 minutes.
The bodis/vadis
will soak up the remaining water.
If you want
to get the crunchiness of the bodi/vadi, them cook the saag and let the water
dry up completely.
Next break
the bodis into granules or tiny pieces and garnish the dish with it.
Palang
saag/palak is very healthy and the children also like this preparation. If
children are happy to savour greens without fuss, a mother is happy with her
performance.
Serve it with rice or rotis/parathas
Am I right
or wrong? Let me know and you can also join me on my Facebook page.
© gouri
guha 2014
Healthy combo and looks so good!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the read and your words.
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